“On January 27, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order committing his administration “to achieve the goal of conserving at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.” That’s an ambitious goal. The U.S. currently conserves around 26% of its coastal waters and about 12% of its land in a largely natural state, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The administration’s target, often referred to as “30 by 30,” is backed by conservationists and scientists who argue that reaching this goal is critical to fighting climate change and protecting the estimated 1 million species at risk of going extinct.”
